A SPOILER is a post that contains information about what happened on the most recent Battlestar Galactica (or Caprica) episode. This is because not everybody gets to see the shows on Fridays at 10 pm EST due to various reasons. Maybe their signal for Sci-Fi wasn't coming in right, or they taped it, or were busy w/ other things during the first showing and are catching the reshowing instead. Maybe they live on the West Coast and don't get to see it until 1 am. And so on and on. This SPOILER rule is to protect them.

The episode is officially considered in SPOILER mode from the first minute it airs (for Battlestar Galactica, Friday at 10:00 EST; for Caprica, whenever it comes to air) and lasts for a week. Once the week is done, you can discuss the episode or stuff that happened there without using "SPOILER".

Promos for next week's show are covered under the above rule.

An EXTREME SPOILER is any information about a show that has not been aired yet. The only exception is the promos, and that's because promos are, technically, already aired. If you know that, say, a certain Galactica character will be revealed to be a cylon, or that someone will be killed off a few episodes down the road, you must include EXTREME SPOILER. Even if the episode is going to air in 5 minutes, you must include EXTREME SPOILER.

Also, when making a subject heading, do NOT include the spoiler in the title! A post titled "Billy! -- EXTREME SPOILERS" would get deleted immediately. Billy isn't a show regular right now, therefore, the mere fact that you're telling us there's an extreme spoiler about him automatically tells us that he *will* be on the show. That's an extreme spoiler in itself. Merely say something like "Episode 17 -- EXTREME SPOILERS" so people who want to be spoiled can check it out, and those who don't can avoid it.

And yes, casting information is considered EXTREME SPOILER. An actor/actress leaving the show is also an EXTREME SPOILER, because, obviously, the character will have to be written off somehow.

Any post that includes EXTREME SPOILERS but doesn't have the warning will be deleted.

So, basically ...

Before the show airs = EXTREME SPOILER.
After the show airs = SPOILER.

--The Management